Conversation with a Squirrel.

The Chef

Having left Vancouver Island yesterday we ventured  north to the town of Squamish, Sḵwxwú7mesh, on the way to Whistler. This is getting into big mountain country, where the peaks are so high the clouds have to pass through them.

Squamish City Living

"Tourist attractions include the Stawamus Chef, a huge cliff-faced granite  massif favored by rock climbers. As well as over 300 climbing routes on the Chief proper, a majority of which require traditional climbing protection, there are steep hiking trails around the back to access the three peaks that make up the massif, all giving great views of Howe Sound and the surrounding Coast Mountains. Another activity for which Squamish is well known is mountain biking, with over 600 trails suitable to all abilities surrounding the town. One of the more famous events supported by the Mountain Biking Community is the 'Test of Metal', a 67-kilometer, cross-country, mountain-bike race held annually in late June. Limited to 800 riders, the 2007 race sold out in under an hour"- Wikipedia....I think the 2010 went pretty much the same way!

Riding the White Rabbit

First stop after coffee was the bike store to pick up a trail map. Now one thing they never tell you, unless you ask, is if the trails are actually marked or if you have to follow your nose. The later was very much the case here as we fumbled around for a bit but still found some awesome rides none-the-less. Having stopped quite a few times a to use our orienteering skills, I had an impromptu conversation with a small gray squirrel perched on the end of a branch. Off course I had no idea what it said as I don't speak squirrel!

No Stopping Esther

Onward we sped on tracks such as Lumber Jack, Jacks Trail, White Rabbit etc until we made our way back for another coffee, and a quick sandwich. The trails were excellent and in parts a bit of a challenge, but only in the sense that they were rocky and rooty, so the going was slow. Still no sign of any black bears, but we did see some bear poo, again...

Some of the Locals

Squamish is know as the 'Outdoor adventure capital of Canada', and sure why not, who am I to argue for in my mind Canada so far seems to be in the running for adventure capital of the world, after New Zealand of course..